HI ClaireBee,

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Have you been told what type of breast cancer you have? Now that this has been discovered, you will find that they will start treatment quite quickly. Waiting for scan results is always an anxious time and nearly all of us find our emotions all over the place at this stage. We also find that our imaginations go into overdrive and take us to all sorts of dark places. 

You are in the right hands now, so try to just go with the flow. Don't look at the bigger picture. Just take things day by day. Place your trust in your care team and, you will be fine. I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer in the past 12 years and, I still lead a busy and fulfilling life. You will have a challenging few months of treatment and, you should then get your life back again. Thank goodness for mammograms, which pick cancer up even before we notice it ourselves.

The best way to deal with this wait is to keep yourslf preoccupied with a pastime or some of the many jobs that need to be done. I sincerely hope that all goes well for you. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi and thanks for posting

It's not uncommon for people to have these thoughts and be panic stricken when they are first diagnosed and thoughts turn to worse case scenarios. No one will be able to tell you everything will be all right, but breast cancer is well treated with many people not having any further problems after their initial treatment. Of course this doesn't apply to everyone , but there are many more treatments out there now for breast cancer and this too can be managed.

It would be unlikely for things to move in the next couple of weeks and the doctors need to do the MRI so that they can plan the best treatment for you and know as much as possible about the cancer. Having said that, they can usually also tell you more after the surgery, as they will  be looking at taking out the sentinel node under the arm (or first node) plus a few more to make very sure they are clear. If by any chance they are affected, this is still very much classed as local disease and not a secondary spread.

Although you would like surgery to be the end of it, the doctors will also be looking to see whether the cancer is oestrogen positive, in which case tablets will also need to be taken for another 5 years. Some people will find this reassuring though, knowing that a treatment is hopefully continuing to work for them.

Do ring the GP to see if they can help you in the short term about your fears and panic. Once you know a little more and you have had the surgery, hopefully things will settle a bit  for you and you will feel calmer. It does take a while to get your head round what is happening , but things do tend to calm down a bit.

Please do ring if you would like a chat or to go over anything while you are waiting. It's not an easy time and it can help running things past someone - Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday

Try and hold your nerve and take each day as it comes , not looking so far ahead as this can just make you panic more

All the very best to you -

Wanda

Hi Jolamine,

Thank you so much for your words. It's intermediate  DCIS. I actually went back to work for two days - currently in low stress job so thought it would be distraction- but today I just couldn't cope and came home early. I've managed to get some medication for the intense anxiety I'm feeling, which should last me over the weekend. I think I'll just have to take next week off work. Ended up telling the manager as I was clearly upset but seems supportive.

One of my adult offspring is on antidepressants and really needs me so don't know how they will cope with the news when I can't keep it together myself. What an awful mess.

Why does it sound like people are saying once you have cancer then you always have it? Surely if you get cured then you don't have it. And everyone has a chance of getting it surely.

Claire x

Hi Wanda,

Thank you so much for replying. I've had a really rough day but am feeling better this evening after the GP prescribed me something just for the short term. The fear and anxiety has been awful but I'm feeling more positive right now.

Claire

Hi ClaireBee,

I am glad to hear that your GP has prescribed something for your anxiety and, that this is helping. Intermediate DCIS is perfectly treatable. There is no truth to the fact that once you have cancer, you will always have it. Once you have surgery the cancer should be removed completely. You are then likely to have some form of treatment to stop it from recurring. The more aggressive forms  may recur, but there is no guarantee that this will happen.

It is good news that it hasn't spread to your lymph nodes. It would be unlikely to spread any further before you start fighting it, but is even less likely to spread when it is not in your nodes.One in two people get breast cancer nowadays, so not that many of us are lucky enough not to have a brush with it at some stage.

It will be difficult to break the news to your offspring, but you will find that the more positive you can be when doing so, the better it will be accepted.

Don't forget that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi

I had DCIS 2cm lump removed after a clear mammogram the year before. I also had lymph node removal at the same time as surgery yand cancer was found in 2 lymph nodes. I then had treatment and medication and 2 years down the line I'm feeling fine and now looking at reconstruction. The beginning is so scary , I remember the awful waiting for results but once you know your treatment plan you will feel more positive. Have trust in your team to do the best for you. 
Wishing you all the best

Silver 

Hi,

I won't know for sure about the lymph nodes until after surgery but the ultrasound looks clear. I do feel better already from what you've said though. Thank you.

C.

Thank you, Silver. That is really reassuring. I hope I can start to come to terms with it now and not be so anxious the whole time.

C.

Hi,

I am in the same boat. I was diagnosed on the 25th. I'm waiting for an MRI and lymph node biopsy on the 2 feb. I wish I could turn my brain off. I'm petrified it's spread. Every ache I think is cancer. The waiting is unbearable. I'm sending you a big hug as we start this awful journey. Here's to getting to the other side.